Ratan Tata, former chairman of the Tata Group that has a large presence in Britain, is to be honoured by Queen Elizabeth with a GBE (Knight Grand Cross), which is one of the highest civilian honours in Britain, it was announced on Thursday.

Official sources said that Tata, who was
honoured with a KBE (Knight Commander) in 2009, is to be honoured during this year for his “services to UK/India relations, inward investment to the UK and philanthropy”.

Tata is one of five foreign nationals to be honoured by Queen Elizabeth during 2014.

The Tata Group employs nearly 60,000 people in the UK, making it one of the largest employers in the country. Tatas’ long-standing engagement with Britain spans various sectors, including philanthropy and academia.